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One year after the war, daily life in Gaza is a living nightmare
“These days are the most difficult of all.”
— Suhaila Tarazi, Ahli Arab Hospital
Dear Friends,

One year ago today a war began in Gaza. Eleven days later, 256 Palestinians, including 66 children, had been killed by Israeli bombings and 13 Israelis were dead from Hamas rockets. Thousands of buildings were destroyed in Gaza and more than 60,000 Gazans were left homeless.

While the massive bombardment has stopped, the pain of loss endures. The people of Gaza remain trapped in a war zone. You are among the very few who have not abandoned Gaza.

Your commitment to the ministry of Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City sustains one of the last remaining signs of hope in this tiny, forgotten strip of land, home to two million suffering souls. Thank you for not forgetting.
Last week, as the anniversary of the war approached, I spoke with Suhaila Tarazi, the director of Ahli Hospital. I asked her about rebuilding in Gaza City.

She told me, “Nothing has happened, nothing has been rebuilt. There are huge rubble piles that used to be buildings and streets are still unpassable. Those who lost homes have moved in with their families. Now you see 20 people living in three rooms.”
A brief video of our recent conversation with Suhaila Tarazi
Suhaila sees the impact of the war every day. “People in Gaza have never been so much in need,” she said. “The demand for our services is more than we can provide. We have waiting lists for surgeries, underweight and malnourished clinics, breast cancer screenings, and trauma therapy. We have immense shortages of medicines and medical supplies and long hours of electricity outages.”

Suhaila explained how Ahli Hospital stands apart from all other hospitals in Gaza. “We have no partnership with the government and receive no government funds. With government hospitals closed except for emergencies, desperate people come to us. A mother who came to Ahli with her child told me, ‘We are here because you are Christians. We know we won’t be neglected here.’ People know we help everyone that we have the means to help."
One year after the devastating war, we are asking you, Ahli Hospital’s most loyal and generous friends, to help Suhaila and her team expand their capacity to help more poor children and families in Gaza.

Gaza is not in the headlines this May. To much of the world, Gaza has disappeared. But the Gazan people are still there. Living conditions are still appalling. Hundreds of thousands of children suffer from the trauma of witnessing war and living in extreme poverty. Ahli Hospital is still there. Suhaila is still there. She is one of the few Gazans who could leave. She has a U.S. passport. But she stays to help her people. And she needs your help to keep Gaza’s only Christian hospital, its only charitable hospital, open to all.

Recently, important sources of international aid to Gaza have been diverted to Ukraine. While our eyes turn toward Ukraine and our hearts break at the senseless killing of innocents there, we must remember Gaza.

I asked Suhaila how she was holding up. She said, “I have passed through many challenges, but these days are the most difficult of all.” But then she smiled - she had just celebrated Orthodox Easter - and remarked,
“God will never leave this hospital. Ahli Hospital is a witness to God’s miracles and to the love of God. All of our American friends are witnesses to God’s love. You are our partners in hope.”
You and I are fortunate. We have a direct way to help the people of Gaza by helping the remarkable Christian witness of Ahli Arab Hospital. Our beloved friend Suhaila and her team know you as their American friends. They pray for you. And they are deeply grateful for your financial support. Thank you for being a partner in hope for Ahli Hospital.

Suhaila ended our call by saying, “I can tell you that each corner of Ahli Hospital has a story of hope. The risen Jesus is hope in itself. We not alone in this work.”

Every dollar you give goes directly to Ahli Hospital. We get the funds there immediately. The gift you make today will buy supplies and medicines and support the brave nurses, doctors and staff at Ahli tomorrow. Please give generously. Please let Ahli Hospital and the people of Gaza know they are not forgotten.

With gratitude and hope,
John Lent
Executive Director
American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem
AFEDJ offers a safe, secure channel to make gifts to support the work of the humanitarian institutions of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.